First Light, First Life: A Worldwide Creation Story

by Paul Fleischman, Julie Paschkis (Illustrator)

Overview

In this companion to Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal, Newbery Medal winner Paul Fleischman and Julie Paschkis turn to the universal story of creation.

In the beginning there was only darkness. . . . There was fire and ice. . . . There was a single drop of milk.

Combining elements of the creation story from different traditions, this narrative weaves together one complete picture of how the world began. First Light, First Life is a celebration of the many and varied peoples of the earth, of their commonalities and their differences. It is a celebration of life.

Learn more about the creation of First Light, First Life:

https://booksaroundthetable.wordpress.com/2016/09/30/first-light-first-life/

http://www.paulfleischman.net/bio.htm#FirstLightArticle

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250136091
Publisher:	Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication date:	09/20/2016
Series:	Worldwide Stories
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	99 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Paul Fleischman won a Newbery Medal for Joyful Noise and a Newbery Honor for Graven Images. He is also the author of young adult novels including Whirligig and The Mind's Eye, and middle-grade novels including Bull Run and Seedfolks. He lives with his wife in northern California.

Julie Paschkis is a painter and award-winning illustrator of many books for children, including Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People, Building on Nature: The Life of Antoni Gaudi, and Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella. A love of pattern and of folk art shows in all her work. She lives in Seattle, Washington.

Editorial Reviews

"expertly weaving together elements from global creation myths to highlight their surprisingly similar story lines . . . Humankind really is one family, Fleischman suggests." —Publishers Weekly, starred review, on First Light, First Life: A Worldwide Creation Story

"Bright, golden folkloric artwork, swirling with stars and mystery . . . From to great floods to great fires, the world is made new again and Fleischman and Paschkis use words and pictures to show us the commonalities between cultures, condensing them into one fluid telling. . . . Let’s hope they continue to elaborate on the stories our diverse world shares." —Booklist, starred review, on First Light, First Life: A Worldwide Creation Story

"In this multicultural mashup, the duo behind Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella (2007) weaves a wonderfully chaotic creation story . . . . this wide canvas amazes. An origin tale as messy as humans can be." —Kirkus Reviews on First Light, First Life: A Worldwide Creation Story

Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal:

"Endings don't get any happier than in this global tour de force." -School Library Journal, starred review

Flutter and Hum / Aleteo y Zumbido:

"This is a celebration in text and art of words, of language, and of the spaces between and their possibilities. . . . Kids will savor it however they meet it." -The Bulletin, starred review

"Paschkis shows herself to be a sensitive observer of the animal kingdom, as well as of language itself, finding humor, eccentricities, and unexpected connections in both." -Publishers Weekly, starred review

From the Publisher

2016-06-22
In this multicultural mashup, the duo behind Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella (2007) weaves a wonderfully chaotic creation story.It all begins with darkness. Fleischman's retelling then slips through bits and pieces of creation tales culled from cultures originating in Egypt, Mali, the Banks Islands, Israel, and many other geographical locations. Commonalities and unifying themes among the disparate stories soon arise. These threads depend on the details: the first humans born from the tears of the sun god, Ra (Egypt), Quat making the first humans out of wood and bringing them to life with the beat of a drum (Banks Islands), and so on. Woven together, the tales both contrast against and emphasize one another's specificities. Much of the cohesiveness is due to Paschkis' folk-art illustrations, which once again shine. Bold lines and vibrant colors characterize most spreads; curves, sharp diagonal lines, and other striking shapes coalesce as each scene spills into the next. One particular double-page spread depicting human-caused destruction (Mozambique) and an angry God setting fire to the earth (Gabon) embodies this pictorial unity to an electrifying degree. Yet the narrative stumbles a bit under its weight. Certain scenes flow better together, while others pull attention in different directions. Still, this wide canvas amazes. An origin tale as messy as humans can be. (author's note) (Picture book/folklore. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews